Multilingual database interaction system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method of translating stored data. In particular the present invention facilitates multilingual interaction with a data store by providing a translation component between data stored in one language and users that prefer to interact in one or more different languages. Queries or commands can be executed on a database and results presented in any one of a plurality of languages selected by a user. Furthermore, a mechanism is also provided to allow users to enter queries in their preferred language rather than the language of the underlying system.

1 . A data translation system comprising: 
 an interface component that receives requests for data from a user; and    a translation component that retrieves data in accordance with the requests and returns the data to the user in a specified language.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , the interface component comprising a language identification component that determines the specified language of a user.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , the interface component comprises a conversion component that receives data requests in a plurality of different formats and converts the requests into executable queries on data.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the request is a structured query in the user's preferred language.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the request is a natural language request.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the translation component comprises: 
 one or more translation tables; and    a mapping component that maps retrieved data to its corresponding translation in a translation table.    
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the translation tables are set up by a database administrator.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , the translation component comprising and inference component that can translate result data into one or more languages.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , the inference component including a context analyzer component and a dictionary component to facilitate data translations.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the context analyzer receives metadata associated with result data.  
   
   
       11 . A database translation system comprising: 
 an interface component to receive queries;    a translation component that retrieves analytical data from a database in accordance with a query and translates the resulting data into one or more user languages.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the queries are specified in a different language than a base language associated with the database.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the queries are specified in natural language.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the database is a multidimensional database.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the translation component comprises a mapping component that maps resulting metadata and data to translations a translation table.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , the translation table being set up and managed by a database administrator.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the translation component comprises an inference component and dictionary component to dynamically generate data translations.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a sort component that receives collation information from a user a sorts resulting data in accordance with the collation information.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the collation information includes the language to be used for sorting.  
   
   
       20 . An online analytical processing (OLAP) system comprising: 
 an interface component to receive queries;    a translation component that retrieves data and metadata from a multidimensional database in accordance with a query and translates resulting data and metadata from a system base language into one or more user languages.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the translation component maps resulting data and metadata to a translation table to produce translated data and metadata.  
   
   
       22 . A method of querying a database comprising: 
 receiving a language selection;    receiving a query;    retrieving data from a database in accordance with the query; and    translating the retrieved data into the selected language.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a user selects a language by entering a query in a particular language, the selected language being the particular language used to enter the query.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein translating the received data comprises retrieving data from a translation table.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein data is translated dynamically utilizing a context component and one or more dictionary components.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the query is a natural language query.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the database is a multidimensional database.  
   
   
       28 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of  claim 22 .  
   
   
       29 . A method of translating database data comprising: 
 receiving a language selection;    receiving a query in a first format;    converting the query to a second format;    executing the query on a database; and    translating received result data to the selected language;    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first query format is in a first language and the second query format is in a second language.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the first query format is a natural language query.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein translating the result data comprises mapping data and meta-data to a translation table associated with the selected language.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sorting the translated data based on collation properties specified by a user.  
   
   
       34 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of  claim 29 .  
   
   
       35 . A method of interaction with a database comprising: 
 selecting a first language;    entering a query on a database with data stored in a second language; and    receiving result data in the first language.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , the database is a multidimensional database.  
   
   
       37 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of  claim 35 .  
   
   
       38 . A method of interacting with a database comprising: 
 specifying a command in a first language;    receiving the command and translating the command into a second language; and    performing an operation on a database in accordance with the command.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the command is to store a data in the database.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein translating the command into a second language includes translating a natural language command into a structured command in the base language of the system.  
   
   
       41 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of  claim 38.